Reflection

Extra Credit – Reflection on the Passion and Resurrection Gospels

Instructions: The following passages are read in many Christian churches over the days of Good Friday, Holy

Saturday, Easter Sunday, and in the days following. This particular order is based off of the Byzantine Catholic

order of readings for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Saturday Vigil. For 2 points extra credit, read the

following narratives and write a 1/5 -1 page reflection (12pt Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, single-

spaced); you can reflect on such things as how a Christian would understand these passages, your own reactions

to these passages or their particular order, or how these passages refer to different topics we have discussed in

this course. This extra credit is due by class time on Tuesday, March 29th, 2016.

No late submissions will be accepted!

(Matthew 26:2-20)

2 [Jesus said:] “You know that in two days’ time it will be Passover, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4 and they consulted together to arrest Jesus by treachery and put him to death.

5 But they said, “Not during the festival, that there may not be a riot among the people.”

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,

7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster jar of costly perfumed oil, and poured it on his head while he was reclining at table.

8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and said, “Why this waste?

9 It could have been sold for much, and the money given to the poor.”

10 Since Jesus knew this, he said to them, “Why do you make trouble for the woman? She has done a good thing for me.

11 The poor you will always have with you; but you will not always have me.

12 In pouring this perfumed oil upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

13 Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of, in memory of her.”

14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver,

16 and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’”

19 The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.

20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve.

(John 13:3-17)

3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God,

4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist.

5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.”

8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”

9 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.”

11 For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?

13 You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.

14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.

16 Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.

(Matthew 26:21-39)

21 And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”

23 He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.

24 The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

25 Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you,

28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

29 I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.”

30 Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed’;

32 but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.”

33 Peter said to him in reply, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.”

34 Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”

35 Peter said to him, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples spoke likewise.

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

37 He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress.

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”

39 He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”

(Luke 22:43-44)

43 And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.

44 He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.

(Matthew 26:40 – 27:38)

40 When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?

41 Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”

43 Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open.

44 He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again.

45 Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.

46 Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

48 His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.”

49 Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him.

50 Jesus answered him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.

51 And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.

52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

53 Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?

54 But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?”

55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me.

56 But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

57 Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58 Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death,

60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward

61 who stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.’”

62 The high priest rose and addressed him, “Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?”

63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64 Jesus said to him in reply, “You have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”

65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy;

66 what is your opinion?” They said in reply, “He deserves to die!”

67 Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him,

68 saying, “Prophesy for us, Messiah: who is it that struck you?”

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”

70 But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about!”

71 As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazorean.”

72 Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man!”

73 A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away.”

74 At that he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately a cock crowed.

75 Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly.

1 When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

2 They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

3 Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,c

4 saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.”

5 Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself.

6 The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, “It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.”

7 After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.

8 That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.

9 Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites,

10 and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had commanded me.”

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.”

12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.

13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”

14 But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

15 Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished.

16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

17 So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?”

18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.

19 While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”

20 The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.

21 The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”

23 But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.”

25 And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him.

28 They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.

29 Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

30 They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.

31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him.

32 As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.

33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull),

34 they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.

35 After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots;

36 then they sat down and kept watch over him there.

37 And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left.

(Luke 23: 39-44)

39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”

40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?

41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

44 It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

(Matthew 27: 39-54)

39 Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads

40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, [and] come down from the cross!”

41 Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,

42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

44 The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.

45 From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

47 Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.

49 But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.

51 And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split,

52 tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

53 And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

54 The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

(John 19: 31-37)

31 Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down.

32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.

33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs,

34 but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

35 An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may [come to] believe.

36 For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of it will be broken.”

37 And again another passage says: “They will look upon him whom they have pierced.”

(Matthew 27: 55-61)

55 There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.

56 Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus.

58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.

59 Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen

60 and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.

61 But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.

(Luke 24:12-35)

1 But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;

3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.

5 They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?

6 He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,

7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”

8 And they remembered his words.

9 Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others.

10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,

11 but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them.

12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

13 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,

14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.

15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,

16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast.

18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?”

19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him.

21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place.

22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning

23 and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive.

24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.”

25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!

26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther.

29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.

31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.

32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?”

33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them

34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

(John 20:19-31)

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.

23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples that are not written in this book.

31 But these are written that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.